Afriqiyah Airways receives first Airbus A319

Afriqiyah Airways from Libya took delivery of its first medium range Airbus A319. This A319 is the first of three aircraft of this type to be delivered to the young and dynamic airline, and is part of an order signed in 2006, which also includes 11 A320s and three long range A330-200s. To date two A320s have also been delivered to the airline. In 2007, Afriqiyah signed another firm contract for six A350XWB aircraft to further expand their growing international long haul network.

The A319 will be integrated into Afriqiyah&apos;s all Airbus fleet, and be deployed from their hub in Tripoli, from where Afriqiyah operates non-stop key routes in Europe such as Paris, Brussels, Geneva, London, Rome and Amsterdam, as well as to 17 destinations in North-, West- and Central Africa and the Middle East. The aircraft is configured to seat 124 passengers in a very comfortable two-class configuration and is powered by CFM56-5B engines.

"After having received our A320s which are doing extremely well in our fleet, we are very much looking forward to continue this excellent track record with the A319. With its low operating costs and high passenger comfort these aircraft are a key tool in our long term strategy to further develop our market position", Captain Sabri, CEO of Afriqiyah Airways said. "The commonality of all Airbus aircraft gives us the flexibility to interchange the aircraft according to our needs, to optimise operations and maintenance."

John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer Customers, added: "Since Afriqiyah Airways first entered the market in 2001, this airline has experienced an impressive increase in routes and passengers. We are delighted to be part of that and congratulate Afriqiyah on their successful growth strategy. With the A330 and the A350 deliveries to follow, we are looking forward to a long and fruitful partnership."

The A320 Family, which includes the A318, A319, A320 and A321, is recognized as the benchmark single-aisle aircraft family. Each aircraft features fly by wire controls and all share a unique cockpit and operational commonality across the range. Around 6,300 Airbus A320 Family aircraft have been sold and more than 3,500 delivered to some 280 customers and operators worldwide, making it the worlds best selling commercial jetliner ever. With proven reliability and extended servicing periods, the A320 Family has the lowest operating costs of any single aisle aircraft. Uniquely, the A320 Family offers a containerized cargo system, which is compatible with the world wide standard wide-body system.